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“Here, venerable sir, as I was secluded and in retreat, this thought arose in my mind: ‘I have not seen that Blessed One face to face, but I have only heard about that Blessed One—that he is such and such.’ If my preceptor would permit me, I would go to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One.” “Excellent, excellent, Soṇa! Go, Soṇa, to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. You will see, Soṇa, that Blessed One, who is pleasing, inspiring, with tranquil faculties, with a tranquil mind, who has attained the highest taming and tranquility, who is tamed, guarded, with restrained faculties, a great one. Having seen him, in my name, bow your head at the feet of the Blessed One, and ask about his freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of rising, strength, and comfortable living—‘My preceptor, venerable sir, Venerable Mahākaccāna, bows his head at the feet of the Blessed One, and asks about his freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of rising, strength, and comfortable living.’” “Yes, venerable sir,” Venerable Soṇa, having rejoiced in and approved of Venerable Mahākaccāna’s words, rose from his seat, paid homage to Venerable Mahākaccāna, circumambulated him, arranged his lodging, and taking his bowl and robe, set out on a journey towards Sāvatthī. Journeying by stages, he eventually arrived at Sāvatthī, at Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery, and approached the Blessed One. Having approached the Blessed One, having greeted him, sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Soṇa said to the Blessed One: "My preceptor, venerable sir, the venerable Mahākaccāna, bows his head at the feet of the Blessed One, and asks about your freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of rising, strength, and comfortable dwelling." "I hope, bhikkhu, you are well, I hope you are keeping up, I hope you arrived on the journey without much fatigue, and are not tired from the alms-round?" "I am well, Blessed One, I am keeping up, Blessed One, and I arrived on the journey without much fatigue, venerable sir, and am not tired from the alms-round." Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: "Ānanda, prepare a lodging for this visiting bhikkhu." Then it occurred to the venerable Ānanda: "When the Blessed One instructs me: 'Ānanda, prepare a lodging for this visiting bhikkhu,' the Blessed One wishes to dwell in the same lodging with that bhikkhu, the Blessed One wishes to dwell in the same lodging with the venerable Soṇa." In the dwelling where the Blessed One was staying, he prepared a lodging for the venerable Soṇa. Then the Blessed One spent a good part of the night sitting in the open air, washed his feet, and entered the dwelling. The venerable Soṇa also spent a good part of the night sitting in the open air, washed his feet, and entered the dwelling. Then the Blessed One, having risen at dawn in the latter part of the night, invited the venerable Soṇa: "Let the Dhamma occur to you to recite, bhikkhu." "Yes, venerable sir," the venerable Soṇa replied to the Blessed One, and recited all sixteen Aṭṭhakavaggika suttas with his voice. Then the Blessed One, at the conclusion of the venerable Soṇa's recitation, approved: "Excellent, excellent, bhikkhu! Well-grasped are these sixteen Aṭṭhakavaggika suttas by you, bhikkhu, well-attended to, well-retained, and you have a beautiful voice." endowed with fluent, unhesitating, meaningful expression. "How many years old are you, monk?" "I am one year old, Blessed One." "Why then, monk, did you do it so late?" "Long have I seen, venerable sir, the danger in sensual pleasures; moreover, the household life is confining, full of duties, full of tasks." Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: Having seen the danger in the world, Having known the Dhamma free from defilements; The Noble One delights not in evil, The pure one delights not in evil. Sixth. 7. The Discourse on Kaṅkhārevata 47. Thus have I heard – On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion, the Venerable Kaṅkhārevata was sitting not far from the Blessed One, having folded his legs crosswise, having set his body upright, reviewing his own purification from doubt. The Blessed One saw the Venerable Kaṅkhārevata sitting not far away, having folded his legs crosswise, having set his body upright, reviewing his own purification from doubt. Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: Whatever doubts there are, here or beyond, Known by oneself or known by others; Those who are meditators abandon them all, Ardent ones, practicing the holy life. Seventh. 8. The Discourse on Schism 48. Thus have I heard – On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Now on that occasion, the Venerable Ānanda, on that Uposatha day, in the morning, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta saw the Venerable Ānanda wandering for alms in Rājagaha. Having seen him, he approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he said to the Venerable Ānanda: "From today onwards, friend Ānanda, I shall perform the Uposatha apart from the Blessed One, apart from the community of monks..." and communal acts." Then, the Venerable Ānanda, having wandered for alms in Rājagaha and returned from his alms-round after his meal, approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "Here, Bhante, in the forenoon, having dressed and taken my bowl and robe, I entered Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta, Bhante, saw me wandering for alms in Rājagaha. Having seen me, he approached me. Having approached me, he said: 'From today, friend Ānanda, I shall perform the Uposatha and communal acts apart from the Blessed One, apart from the community of bhikkhus.' Today, Bhante, Devadatta will split the Saṅgha, and will perform the Uposatha and communal acts." Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: "Good is easy for the good, Good is difficult for the evil. Evil is easy for the evil, Evil is difficult for the Noble Ones." The Eighth. 9. The Discourse on Those Who Make Noise Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus. Now at that time, many young men were passing by not far from the Blessed One, making noise. The Blessed One saw many young men passing by not far off, making noise. Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: "They are robbed, those who appear wise, Speakers whose range is words. They stretch their mouths as they wish, But they do not know where they are led." The Ninth. 10. The Discourse on Cūḷapanthaka Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time the venerable Cūḷapanthaka was sitting not far from the Blessed One, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him. The Blessed One saw the venerable Cūḷapanthaka sitting not far off, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him. Then, having understood this matter, the Blessed One on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance – With body firm, with mind firm, Whether standing, sitting, or lying down; A bhikkhu, thus establishing mindfulness, May gain a distinction, earlier and later; Having gained a distinction, earlier and later, He may go beyond the sight of the King of Death. The tenth. The Soṇa Chapter, the fifth, is finished. Its summary – Piyo, Appāyukā, Kuṭṭhī, Kumārakā, Uposatho; Soṇa and Revata, Bheda, Sadhāya, and Panthaka.